:Product: 20040524RSGA.txt :Issued: 2004 May 24 2200 UTC # Prepared jointly by the U.S. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, # Space Environment Center and the U.S. Air Force. # Joint USAF/NOAA Report of Solar and Geophysical Activity SDF Number 145 Issued at 2200Z on 24 May 2004 IA. Analysis of Solar Active Regions and Activity from 23/2100Z to 24/2100Z: Solar activity was at low levels today. Region 618 (S10E13) produced the largest flare of the period, a C4 x-ray event that occurred at 24/1104Z. There was a continued growth in sunspot area and the total spot count today. A continued emergence of flux now shows several delta structures near region center in this magnetic beta-gamma-delta group. The remaining active regions were quiescent today. No new regions were numbered today. IB. Solar Activity Forecast: Solar activity is expected to be at low to moderate levels. Due to continued growth in magnetic complexity, Region 618 has the potential of producing M-class flare activity. IIA. Geophysical Activity Summary 23/2100Z to 24/2100Z: The geomagnetic field ranged from quiet to active levels. The high speed solar wind stream continues to persist while solar wind speeds were exceeding 500 km/s late in the period. IIB. Geophysical Activity Forecast: The geomagnetic field is expected to be at predominantly quiet to unsettled levels. Isolated active conditions are possible through 25 May as the geoeffective high speed coronal hole stream begins to wane. NOTE: The ACE spacecraft orbit will bring ACE nearly in line with the Sun from about May 30 to June 2, 2004. During that time solar radio noise is expected to interfere with spacecraft telemetry resulting in the loss of solar wind plasma, magnetic field, and particle data. III. Event Probabilities 25 May-27 May Class M 50/50/50 Class X 10/10/10 Proton 05/05/05 PCAF green IV. Penticton 10.7 cm Flux Observed 24 May 105 Predicted 25 May-27 May 105/105/100 90 Day Mean 24 May 105 V. Geomagnetic A Indices Observed Afr/Ap 23 May 009/012 Estimated Afr/Ap 24 May 012/015 Predicted Afr/Ap 25 May-27 May 007/010-007/010-010/010 VI. Geomagnetic Activity Probabilities 25 May-27 May A. Middle Latitudes Active 15/15/20 Minor storm 05/05/10 Major-severe storm 05/05/05 B. High Latitudes Active 20/20/20 Minor storm 10/10/10 Major-severe storm 05/05/05